Many industrial processes use metal wire as a raw material. These processes use different types of wire, composed of different materials, cross-sectional shapes, and sizes. For example, wires may be formed from numerous steel alloys, from brass, bronze, aluminum, copper, and numerous other metals. For purposes of this application, a wire can comprise a solid core, stranded wires, tubes, and other cross-sectional shapes.
Typically, wire is fed directly from coil stock to a manufacturing machine, but wire may also be supplied in straight segments. During manufacturing, storage, and transportation of the wires described above, a variety of contaminants adhere themselves to the outer surfaces of the wires. Wire drawing compound used to lubricate the wire during drawing and forming of the wire may form scaly deposits on the surface of the wire. Other contaminants might include oil applied to the wire to prevent corrosion during transportation or storage. Oil attracts dirt and other debris, which may further contaminate the surface of the wire.
All of the contaminants discussed above cause difficulties when the wire is processed in subsequent manufacturing steps. Wire may be subjected to one or more primary operations, including for example straightening, drilling, cutting, machining, cold-forming, threading, marking, stamping, or bending. Each of these primary operations may be hindered by scale or other debris adhered to the surface of the wire. Scale and debris become trapped in automated machinery and may damage tooling or reduce the efficiency of the machinery. Thus, it is desirable to clean the surface of the wire prior to performing these primary operations.
Wires may also be subjected to secondary operations such as painting, surface-treatment, or assembly. These secondary operations often require parts that are free from all contaminants including scale, debris, and oil. Parts may be difficult to clean after they have undergone primary operations because they may have features and shapes that trap contaminants or that make it difficult to scrub the full surface of the part. Thus, it is desirable to clean the surface of the wire before the wire is subjected to any manufacturing operations, even if primary operations are not affected by contaminants on the wire.
Manufacturing machines typically accommodate a variety of wire sizes. For example, automated wire bending machines are designed for use with a range of wire diameters. In many manufacturing machines no major tool changes are necessary even though wire diameter may change from job to job. It is therefore desirable that any wire processing equipment associated with these manufacturing machines be capable of easy adjustment to accommodate a similar range of wire diameters.
Although methods are known for cleaning various contaminants from the surface of a wire, it is desirable to develop a machine or system designed to remove all contaminants. In particular, it is desirable to develop a machine or system designed to remove contaminants from the surface of a wire as the wire is fed from a coil and into a wire bending machine, such that the wire is cleaned on-demand. Further, it is desirable to develop a machine or system designed to clean wires having a variety of wire diameters or cross-sectional profiles, in keeping with the flexibility designed into many wire bending machines.